Tips for Icing Cookies

If you want to top off your cookies with a sweet, creamy icing and keep them looking as great as they taste just follow these handy tips to ensure that your frosting efforts are a success:

Be sure that cookies are completely cool before applying icing or it will melt.

Test the consistency of the icing. If it’s too thick, thin with a few drops of water.

Use a small offset or flexible-blade spatula or a rubber spatula to apply the icing. Push it from the center of the cookie to the edges.

Work quickly so that the icing doesn’t dry out and start to set before you’re finished.

Keep your spatula clean between applications of icing by dipping it in a cup of warm water. Dry the spatula before putting it back in the container of icing.

Use icing in a parchment paper pastry cone or plastic pastry bag to apply accent colors and designs such as dots, lines, squiggles, and borders. Cleanup is a breeze because these tools are disposable.

Make sure that the icing is completely dry before storing iced cookies. They’re best when stored for no more than 2 weeks at room temperature in a tightly sealed container between layers of wax paper. If they’re stored for a longer time, the icing can start to soften the cookies.